Originally posted by V8 Fireworks How come another road racer like Max Papis has a Sprint Cup ride and not Jacques?

Is that a serious question? Max is well known in the US, is based in the US, is friendly to US sponsors, has raced consistently in the US for years, is friendly to US media, etc, etc... In other words, all the things JVi is not.

Originally posted by V8 Fireworks How come another road racer like Max Papis has a Sprint Cup ride and not Jacques?

Max Papis has been, and still is I believe, the road course tester for Hendricks Motorsport. He does not have a Cup drive as such, he has done the odd Sprint Cup race like Watkins Glen last year and his oval debut this year.

Villeneuve is not a known NASCAR prospect and unlike Montoya isn't well connected in the NASCAR garage (Montoya of course well connected with Ganassi).

I think Villeneuve can get a Sprint Cup drive, because contrary to loud popular opinion here he is actually not a bad driver, as his CV is a good proof of. You don't have that type of CV if you are crap. But his chances of getting a Cup-driver rests solely on raising a budget for it. None of the top teams will give him a paid driver at this moment. His best chance is probably to find the budget to fund a satellite operation with a team like Hendricks, Rousch, Joe Gibbs, RCR or a similar operation.

Personally I think it's a shame he didn't put more effort in the Peugeot Le Mans-programme. But if he and his family wants to base themselves in North America I guess that is quite difficult to combine.

And I doubt Max Papis will ever find himself a full-time Sprint Cup-drive.

He got out alive (unlike dad), uninjured (unlike uncle) and I hope he's happy and fulfilled. He had a great career, a fabulous rookie season F1 season, World Champ, Indy 500 winner, competitive in the 24hrs. He has nothing to prove to anyone.
Rock on JV, you are too cool and its F1's loss fellows like you and JPM moved away.

Originally posted by LuckyStrike1 I think Villeneuve can get a Sprint Cup drive, because contrary to loud popular opinion here he is actually not a bad driver, as his CV is a good proof of. You don't have that type of CV if you are crap.

CV tells you how good you were, not how good you are. There is a big difference when it comes to JV.

The joke in this thread is not that JV is no longer recognized as good as he once was its that people are STILL finding ways to try put his career down, and yet he is more successful than most in F1 now, and will ever be.

It was mentioned further up, he has nothing to prove. He has raced the best and come out on top, he is not only an F1 winner, he is an F1 champion. He won the Indy 500, perhaps when the field was at its strongest. He raced at Le mans, and before anyone says he was slow, its accepted his dry-weather pace was not to that of Minassian, and Montagny, but hell Minassian is probably one of the quickest sportscar drivers out there. And as a matter of fact, JV's wet weather driving was probably the quickest of the 908s!

JV has acheived more than 90% of todays drivers can even dream about! He had his time, he served it well, now let it go. Whatever makes people think he is still trying to prove himself, make sure his name is still known is just silly.

Ill tell you, JV earns more of my respect than a 7 time WDC who does seem to be wanting to make sure his name is still there, to make sure we havent forgot about him ;-)!

If anyone wants to bash JV, at least have a reason and dont just do it for the sake of it. If your going to argue, at least have a point!

Not that we're in any kinda respect pissing contest here , but what makes your opinion of Michael's motives the gold standard?

I respect Michael and I respect Jacques , for different reasons.

Was Michael not quoted a while back saying he can have limited involvment in the way he can help between the team and drivers, saying too much has changed since his time.

So from that we can guess his involvment is not to do with driver communication between the team, so what exactly can Michael offer to Ferrari? His exact job and involvment has never been made clear by Ferrari or him.

I to respect, in a different way, he is a 7time champ, thats gotta count for something for his ability, he clearly is/was the best of the best, anyone who denies that clearly was blind for the last 15 or so years! Until we have a clear understanding of his involvment within the Ferrari race team I can not see any other reason for him being there, other than him simply just being there. It has been said he was almost forced out of the driving seat to give way to Kimi. We can thank Luca for that. To me at least it seems he does not want to let go, and getting paid the rumoured £5mill is just, well silly? As a driver I can understand him getting paid alot, but like I said his role is not really known, or well explained, so how can they justify paying him that much, when clearly he does not need that money, and in concern of cost cutting it is a waste if you ask me.

If I had 30 million dollars I'd be doing anything I bloody hell wanted to.

JV was good. Now he's retired. There ya go.

The dude isn't full of himself hanging around the paddock trying to get some press or still be "involved". Give him a break. He's out spending the fruit of his labours. The guy could be in a Celine Dion cover band and touring Japan in a Delica and I'd still think he's a lucky man for being successful.

What did you expect Head to say? The guy was completely embarassed by JV and Clear, who repeatedly showed him that his setups were destroying HHF. Head still didn't listen, so they would go behind his back and change the settings without his knowledge. I don't blame PH for being bitter about it.

Not only must you have a well designed car, you must set it up correctly, from one weekend to the next. Newey built a car that was capable of being dominant, but using Head's setup recommendations, you wind up with HHF's point total.

Peter Baeke & Olga Molina: How good is Jacques technically? Is he more of a Senna-like technical perfectionist who can pinpoint engine or other technical malfunctions if arising? Or is he more the Mansell type of guy who just wants to drive as hard as possible and is not really interested in technical details?

Jock Clear: Technically very astute indeed, to the extent that in '96 he confronted some of the long held views at Williams, and Adrian Newey was quick to recognise his points and support them. He thinks about his job far more than people realise, his attention to safety issues is second to none. The good thing about JV is his comments are honest and considered with no political correctness underlying."

He should retire now and enjoy his money and speak out about current F1

One of the greatest drivers of the last 30 years in terms of achievement having to degrade himself to look for drives unsuccessfully in low quality series is the saddest spectacle in sport since Joe Louis had to end up as a shoeshine guy outside a New York hotel

Originally posted by PNSD ...he is more successful than most in F1 now, and will ever be.

JV's career has amazing parallels to the latest F-1 God, Hammy. Immediately quick in his first season, barely missing out on the title. Won the title in his second season in a close battle with a Ferrari driver. Third season went to crap as the regulations changed and his car wasn't competitive.

Originally posted by flyboy JV's career has amazing parallels to the latest F-1 God, Hammy. Immediately quick in his first season, barely missing out on the title. Won the title in his second season in a close battle with a Ferrari driver. Third season went to crap as the regulations changed and his car wasn't competitive.

They also both have shit managers, more interested in marketability and cash than making the best career moves.

I to respect, in a different way, he is a 7time champ, thats gotta count for something for his ability, he clearly is/was the best of the best, anyone who denies that clearly was blind for the last 15 or so years!

I was wondering about what the status of the film about his father Gilles Villeneuve, which Jacques had helped start. It would be good to a good nostaligic F1 film. I can watch Grand Prix, LeMans and Winning only so often.

Originally posted by cloudman I was wondering about what the status of the film about his father Gilles Villeneuve, which Jacques had helped start. It would be good to a good nostaligic F1 film. I can watch Grand Prix, LeMans and Winning only so often.